Travel the globe and get paid to do it. For many of us it sounds like the absolute dream. But with so many job possibilities these days that will take you overseas, there’s no reason you can’t make it your reality. Here are 5 great careers that allow you to travel the world.

English teacher

So long as you have a decent grasp of the English language and are happy standing up in front of a class of people, you can teach English abroad. The number of people wanting to learn English continues to grow exponentially, particularly in Asia. A TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) qualification will allow you to get a job virtually anywhere in the world. Often the pay is relatively high, while you’ll also have the opportunity to travel plenty, particularly if you’re working in a school with their notoriously generous holiday allowances.

Flight crew

Probably one of the most obvious travel career options is to get yourself onto an airline’s crew. But while the job will clearly involve lots of flying regardless of who you’re working for, you’ll need to pick your company carefully. The majority of crew members working for short-haul airlines rarely tend to leave the airport. Instead, go for a large long-haul carrier and make sure it flies to destinations that interest you. Not only will you find yourself flying to a multitude of exotic locations but you’ll also get to spend time in them.

Au pair

If you’ve got a way with kids and want to be able to get to know places over a longer period of time, being an au pair overseas could be a great career choice for you. You live in your hosts’ home, integrate into their family and still have plenty of time to travel and explore.

You could also consider being a language au pair. It’s a relatively new development and has one key difference from a normal au pair - you don’t necessarily need to even look after the kids. Your main role is to teach them English, meaning daily lessons or other fun interactions that will help them on their way.

Government officer

The British government has an abundance of jobs overseas in virtually every field imaginable. They range from things like political analysis and digital communications to - I kid you not - plumbing and maintenance work. So regardless of what you’re studying, there may well be something to suit you.

Of course, many of the positions require specific qualifications or experience, but there are plenty that don’t and once you’ve got your foot in the door, it’s far easier to move between government departments and build your career in that way.

Travel blogger

There are an unlimited number of roles that you can do remotely now, most simply require an internet connection and a laptop. But at the top of the pile for anyone wanting to travel and work for themselves has to be travel blogging. However, many people still don’t consider it a legit career.

Well we’ve been travelling the world for over 4 years now and make the money to pay for it primarily through travel blogging. We’re not alone either, we personally have dozens of friends who are also professional travel bloggers, many who earn a lot more than us. It’s totally possible and (though we’re biased) by far the best career to combine with travelling the world.